EL PASO, Texas — El Paso County is putting a new name on its Downtown Annex on Friday, Oct. 23, honoring José R. Rodríguez, who led the county attorney’s office for 17 years before serving a decade in the Texas Senate.
The building will become the Jose R. Rodriguez County Annex at an afternoon unveiling ceremony. The El Paso County Commissioners Court signed off on the change July 27.
The choice of building carries extra weight. The annex houses the El Paso County Attorney’s Office, the same office Rodríguez ran for nearly two decades, along with the County Auditor’s Office.
Rodríguez first won elected office in 1993, when he became El Paso County attorney. After 17 years in that role, he represented Senate District 29 from 2011 to 2021. County officials credited him with pushing on schools, health care, public safety, the environment and economic growth, and with efforts to protect vulnerable residents and expand legal services across the region.
No tax money is going into the change. Donations from community members are covering the renaming project, including the new signage, the county said. Residents who want to attend can head to the annex downtown on Friday afternoon, where county leaders are expected to unveil the new name on the building.
County leaders framed the new name as a permanent thank-you for close to 30 years of public service. In its announcement, the county said the dedication means more because Rodríguez spent the bulk of his local career working inside this building, and that the honor recognizes his efforts to improve the quality of life for families across the El Paso region.
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